Radio reception is driving me nuts

[urielusa]

I have been using portable radios with the usual ptt and headsets and at times it works really well and at times not very well. Would like to put in something more permanent but I am concerned that I will get all kinds of static off the non shielded mags. I have some suppressors on them but they arn't shielded or neither are the plug wires. And I don't know if shielding the radio wiring harness would be enough of if I should just forget the whole idea and stick with the portable and maybe upgrade to a better nc headset. Open for your thoughts, Thanks. I am also looking to upgrade my seating so I can sit for longer then 90 minutes any help there would be appreciated.

[M Towsley]

Re: Radio reception is driving me nuts

Do some searches on this site using the search tool, there are lots and lots of threads on this subject with lots of suggestions and fixes. I put an external antenna on mine, (I have pictures on here), shielded mags, shielded plugs on the bottom and ercoupe cups on the top. If you are serious about lessening static do some research here and some money investment. I work out of Class C airspace with no problems and no cowl bumps on my plane. I use an Icom A6, external antenna, Sennheiser noise cancelling headsets with the above fixes. Put the radio on ANR if you can. It helps.

[Guest]

Re: Radio reception is driving me nuts

I did or have these things:
1) put a sheild around the p leads and ground the sheild
2) install a braided ground strap from engine to engine mount
3) sheilded plugs and wires
4) good head sets with active noise reduction
5) external antenna
6) I use a Yaesu handheld
7) my magneto capacitors are in good shape
8) I have those filters on the p-leads at the magneto, I believe they are inductors, I forgot the trade name for them

Worked great I flew out of a controlled field for about 10 years.

Dave

[M Towsley]

Re: Radio reception is driving me nuts

Seeing Dave's post above I remembered I also used shielded plug wires and shielded and grounded P-leads, as well as a grounded 'can' that covers the back of the mag switch.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Radio reception is driving me nuts

The other huge thing is to move the external antenna back on the fuselage. The boot cowl is a TERRIBLE place to mount it. Interference decreases by the inverse square law. If you double the distance between the source and the receiver (the closest part of the antenna in this case) you reduce the interference by 4 times!
If your antenna wire is unshielded and so are your P leads, and they run anywhere close to each other, the strongest transmitter is your ignition P lead. Get them as far apart as you can. I saw one setup where the owner had zip tied the "P" lead to the antenna wire. Guess how well HIS radio worked!
Route your antenna as far as possible from the SHIELDED P lead and use a Coax for the antenna lead (I have seen way too many unshielded P leads too). Mount the antenna whip on top of the fuselage behind the aileron cables (make sure you tie the antenna coax so it doesn't touch the control cables). Keep ALL of the control cables AWAY from any of the P leads (they can carry the signal) and if you can put a shielded cap over the mag switch back do it. If you can find a local HAM radio nut he can help you tune your whip antenna so the coax length doesn't reduce your range. Tuning the antenna is all Black Magic to me, but the HAM neighbors help sure made a difference and he seemed to think the whole process was dirt simple. We made a little aluminum plate to mount the antenna to that went between the stringers for a ground plane and to mount the antenna.
Hank

This stuff isn't rocket science. If it was, it would be easier. ;-)

[urielusa]

Re: Radio reception is driving me nuts

Gentlemen thank you for your kind full thoughts and suggestions. Some of them I have tried and the rest I will as time and cash allow. Another quick question on demonstrated max cross wind landing for average Joe BC 12-D pilot? 7 to 8 mph ?
Thanks , John

BC12-D. N96150